Weird undiagnosed steering issue on Long Haul Trucker

[peliroja]

Yes, the headset is fine. Absolutely smooth as a smooth thing.

I'll try new tyres and report back! Thanks, everyone, for your advice.

[peliroja]

Update (at last)...

My Long Haul Trucker has got some new boots, and substantial they are, too! They're 26x2" compared to the 26x1.35" I was running before. (The reason for the change is that we're planning quite a bit of offroad touring later this year, and I'm not comfy on the narrower tyres in deep gravel, but that's another story.)

I've ridden about 30 miles on the new tyres yesterday and today, and I can report that the weird steering issue seems to have gone. Yippee!

The new tyres are very heavy (over 1kg each  ) but they are ever-so-comfy and I'm getting on with them OK so far.  I am still struggling somewhat with this heavy bike with my teeny-narrow 36cm drop handlebars which are really designed for a road bike. I've got some Morphe Randonneur bars in 42cm which I'm going to try. 

But, executive summary: steering issue seems to have been solved by replacing the tyres.

[Wowbagger]

Excellent news!

[Jurek]

Cue the angelic choral stuff 

[clarion]

Excellent news!  It's odd that some tourers like to be a bit heavier.  Some Galaxies (Butterfly's included) ride better with front panniers than without.  Our tandem is more stable with a load than unladen.  If it makes the bike more sure-footed, then the extra tyre weight will probably be worth it.

I'd be a bit cautious about changing from a 36cm bar all the way up to a 42 in one go, as it is going to feel completely different, and change your position, which may not be ideal just before a tour, but do what feels right.

[Wowbagger]

Cue the angelic choral stuff 

Would that be the Peliroja Chorus?

[Feline]

This is excellent news 

[Blodwyn Pig]

'' happy dayz are hear again.....da da ...da da...''

[Julian]

Fab!

(Having read this thread I'm slightly concerned about my tendency to keep my 26x1.25s up at 100psi at all times now.  )

[Ham]

Excellent news...I was thinking of you the other day, when I was riding into town with much more in the panniers that should properly have been considered and I experienced something like you described as I was going a little bit faster down an incline, where the front end seemed to go into SHM. I thought of posting that experience on this thread, but then realised I knew how to fix it (take the x kilo weight off the rear end, or ride slower)